To the teacher- Advice on using the TOEFL prep textbooks

[goodjohn]

The skills that your students practice in the TOEFL textbooks/prep materials will help them be successful not only on the TOEFL test, but in their academic work in general.
Performing a Diagnostic Test will show you the areas that your students need to concentrate on most. Do not feel that every exercise or all items within an exercise section must be completed.
You may want to encourage your students to take some of the CD-ROM practice tests using test Mode, which stimulates the test conditions that they will experience during the actual online test, and some using Practice Mode, which gives students the option of checking each answer and receiving feedback while working through the test.
Use exercises in the four building skills section (READING, LISTENING, SPEAKING, AND WRITING) to build skills in other areas. For example: Your student s will encounter unfamiliar vocabulary throughout the reading, Listening, speaking, and writing section. Some of these words will be useful to learn in order to improve not only reading and listening but also build vocabulary for use in the speaking and writing section. Help student identify which of the words are useful and which may never be encounter again.
Making inferences, drawing conclusions, and identifying topics are important skills to acquire for success in all test sections.
Understanding the grammatical structure of a sentence is important for reading and listening comprehension as well as for using these structures for writing or speaking fluently.
The format of Listening to lectures, Reading passages, and Spoken and Written responses are similar; that is, they all begin with an introduction that includes the topic, continue with ideas that support the topic and end with a conclusion.
In a class, focus on areas that most of your students are having trouble understanding, as indicated by the DIAGONISTIC test you performed. Homework assignments can be individualized so that each student can focus on his or her specific areas of difficulty.
Stress to your students that all English language experience is useful in studying for TOEFL test. In addition to the exercises in the book, you may wish to assign related homework or in-class activities. Watching a debate or interview on TV or listening to a talk show on the radio gives students the opportunity to hear speakers who are not following a script. Taking notes while listening to an online lecture or while reading articles in English –language newspaper or magazine is also a useful assignment.
Lastly ensure that your students engage in TOEFL official online practice test from the ETS website- www.toeflpractice.ets.org
visit www.mackivconsult.com/toeflfullinfo.htm for up to date information.